Sole-channeling machine.



E. A. WEBSTER.

SOLE GHANNBLING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED 00124, 1'907, RENEWED FEB. 11, 1912.

1,028,509. P ented Jime 4, 1912.

M'Znesses: 74. film/ 2) j LULUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINOTUN. D.-L.

ii Nrrn s'rnrns PATENT carton.

EDWIN A. WEBSTER, 0F GROVELAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 HAVERHILL SHOE MACHINERY 00., OF HAVERI-IILL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SOLE-CHANNELING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1912.

Application filed. October 24, '1907, Serial No. 398,909. ReneWed'February YI'Y, 1912. Serial-No. 678,412.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. Wnnsrnn, of Groveland, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sole-Channeling Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification', like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention particularly relates to certain improvements in the feeding mechanism or means for forcing the sole into engagement with the cutting-devices of a sole channeling machine.

It is practically necessary, in channeling shoes, to perform the operation without injury to the bottom or grain side of the sole. For this reason not only cannot a toothed feed wheel for the grain side of the sole be employed, but even a knurled or corrugated feeding device may not be employed, as it leaves distinct impressions in the sole, or. cuts or lacerates it, so that, in either event it is practically impossible to obliterate'the results of the operation, and at the same:

time produce a uniform finishonthe sole.

It is the usual practice to channel soles when in temper, or moist, and this causes them to be slippery on the grain side, and

especially so when too moist, or when the: sole contains glucose, or similar foreign matter, so that an ordinary smooth-faced metal Q roll has practically no positive feeding efj fect whatever, and almost might as well be i an idler. It has been found that, in gagement sufficiently strong to feed the sole against an ordinary stationary channeling knife cannot be secured with an ordinary knurled or serrated upper feed roll and an; ordinary smooth-faced under roll, so that the highly objectionable toothed feed wheel has been universally employed, in such in.

stances, for the upper side of the sole.

The object of my invention is to provide, in a sole-channeling machine, a form of feeding device for engagement with the grain side of the sole, which, when acting in conjunction with an ordinary knurled or corrugated feed wheel, will feed the sole with that consequential injury of the grain surface by the abrasive portion is prevented by the supporting portion.

For a more complete disclosure of my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the sole- I engaging members of a sole channeling mach1ne provided with my invention. Fig. 2

is an end view of the feed rolls. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

I Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively central sectional and plan views of a modified form of my invention.

The channel forming devices shown comprise the stationary knife a and the rotary cutter b disposed at opposite sides of the upper feed roll 0, said roll having a corrugated or knurled surface, which will not injure the substance of the sole between the 1 knife and cutter. practice, an en- The lower feed roll is preferably in form of a cylinder of materially greater length than the upper roll, and comprises an annular wheel 01 having a cylindrical, sole-engagingand feeding face, and composed of an abrasive substance, such as emery, closely compacted together into a solid mass, such as is ordinarily'used in grinding metal, an ordinary emery or carborundum wheel being preferably employed. The wheel 0? is preferably mounted on a metal sleeve 6, and is clamped between a flange or disk e, integral with one end of said sleeve and a disk f, which is threaded on the opposite end of the sleeve 6, said disks e, f, and said wheel (Z all being'of the same diameter, and the ends of the wheel and the engaging sides of the disks being flat, so the disks bear firmly against the ends of the wheel at and adjacent the peripheries thereof. The peripheries 0f the disks 6, f are smooth or nonabrasive and formed to provide sole-engaging and supporting faces which are continuous with the sole-engaging face of the wheel, the outer or opposite corners of the disks, from the wheel being rounded, so as not to cut or mark the sole when in use.

As the wheel 0 presses the sole against roll (1, a strong frictional engagement 'is' caused between the sole and the wheel, so that, when it is rotated, it will feed the sole past the channel cutting devices. As the Wheel d is of fine granular or gritty material, it will not indent or cut the leather, and, as it is of substantially the same character as the substance subsequently used on the sole in the bufiing operation, if it should slip on the sole, it will merely have a similar action thereon to that of the bufiing operation, so that it will not cause any marks thereon which will not blend when the sole is buffed. The result is that the sole is fed under all conditions without practical injury thereto either on the outer. or inner side, so that the labor of finishing will not be interfered with, an otherwise unnecessary amount of leather will not have to be bufi'ed off, and the appearance of the sole when finished, will be equal to that when the ordinary smooth feed roll is employed. The frictional engagement of the gritty or granular engaging surface is so strong that there is no appreciable slipping 'of the wheel d on the sole under ordinary conditions, and, in case there should be any slipping, only a slight surface abrasion would be caused, as the clamping disks at the ends of the wheel will support the sole, so as to prevent the wheel from digging into it. As the disks are clamped against the ends of the wheel at its periphery, they act to protect the corners thereof and sup port the same, so that it will not be broken or chipped. The frictional qualities of the wheel will not be impaired by .wear although, in practice, the wearing thereof is inappreciable.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show the application of my invention to the circular table feed commonly employed. In this form a circular metal holder 9 is provided having a cup in its upper side in which a slightly conical shaped disk d of emery, or other granular material, as previously described, is seated, said disk being secured in place by a central bolt 2'. The edges of the cup or holder are also continuous with the sole-engaging and feeding surface of the emery disk, as in the form of my invention before described, so.

that a support is provided for the edges of the disk and a sole-supporting surface is what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V 7 1. In a sole channeling machine, a feed ing device for the grain side of the sole having a sole feeding portion composed of a rigid, closely compacted mass of emery, or similar abrasive material, and a' non-abrasive, sole-supporting portion at one side thereof, said feeding portion having an abrasive, sole-engaging face and said sole- I supporting portion having a non-abrasive, sole-supporting face, said faces being continuously arranged with relation to each other, substantially as described.

2. In a sole-channeling machine a pair of feeding devices adaptedto be pressed against the opposite sides of the sole, the feeding device for the grain side thereof having a sole-feeding portion composed of a rigid, closely compacted mass of emery, or similar abrasive material, and a solesupporting portion of non-abrasive material, said portions having unindented, continuously arranged, and respectively, abrasive and non-abrasive sole-engaging faces, substantially as described.

3. In a sole-channeling machine, a rotary feeding device for engaging the grain side of the sole, comprising a roll composed of a mass of abrasive material having a circular, unindented, abrasive, sole-engaging face and a circular support pressed against one end of said roll having a smooth, nonabrasive, sole-supporting face continuous with the face of said roll, and adapted to engage the surface of the sole simultaneously therewith, substantially as described.

4. In a sole channeling machine afeeding device for engaging the grain side of the sole, comprising a rotary shaft, a roll secured thereon composed of a mass of abrasive material having an unindented cylindrical, sole-engaging face, anda metal support bearing against one end of said roll at its periphery and having a smooth, cylindrical, sole-engaging and supporting face continuous with the face of said roll, substantially as described. 7

5. In a sole channeling machine a feeding device for engaging the grain side of the sole, comprising a shaft, a roll composed of a mass of abrasive material mounted on said shaft and having a cylindrical, sole-en- In testimony whereof, I have signed my gaging face, and metal disks clamped name to this specification, in the presence against opposite ends of said roll and havof two subscribing Witnesses.

ing, at their peripheries, a smooth, cylindri- EDWIN A. WEBSTER. cal, sole-supporting surface, continuous with Witnesses:

the sole-engaging face of said roll, sub- HAROLD S. LooKWooD,

stantially as described. LILIAN M. GUNNIsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

